Christian Westergaard - Herman D. Koppel Edition: Selected Piano Works (2024) Hi-Res

Earlier this year we released three albums with solo piano music by the phenomenon Herman D. Koppel, as a part of the new series Herman D. Koppel Edition. On 23 August a compilation album will be released, on which we have carefully selected highlights from the piano music in collaboration with pianist Christian Westergaard.

Herman D. Koppel (1908-1998) is an almost mythical figure in Danish musical life as the patriarch of a whole musical dynasty, an important pianist and a hard-working composer. In May 2024 Dacapo Records launched the series Herman D. Koppel Edition featuring piano works and songs, recorded and organised by pianist Christian Westergaard. The series was kicked off with three digital piano albums, representing both youth and late works, miniature formats and grand sonatas.

Christian Westergaard explains that until now, the piano works have primarily been handed down in his own recordings. "It is a fantastic historical document and an incredibly valuable source. But it is also very authoritative and has perhaps prevented others from recording it", Westergaard says. "Of course, I want to present my take, but I also really want to set the music free so that others can discover it and leave their mark on it."

Compilation album with highlights
The release Selected Piano Works it out on Friday 23 August and collects highlights from the first three volumes in the series. Listen for example to an excerpt from 15 Miniatures, a collection with interconnected piano pieces each presenting a clear musical idea, which is regarded as a landmark of Danish piano music from that era.

The compilation albu also contains movements form Koppel's Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 50, his most ambitious solo piano work which can be seen as part of the flourishing of Danish solo piano music led by the music whirlwind Niels Viggo Bentzon. It is lavish music, showcasing all the piano skills of the pianist-composer Koppel. The album is framed by two movements from the collection 50 Short Piano Pieces, that is Christian Westergaard's personal favorites Aften (Evening) og Vi ses igen (We Meet Again).

The new release is a part of the Herman D. Koppel Edition, which will also be presenting three digital albums with songs, to be released in September 2024.